Beppu-Yawatahama or Saiki-Sukumo?

Hello everybody,

I want to travel from Kyushu to Shikoku end of March by ferry and then continue to Kochi. Do you recommend the train ride from Yawatahama to Kubokawa (ferry Beppu-Yawatama) or from Sukumo to Kubokawa (ferry Seiko-Sukumo)? Which is the more scenic route? I do not mind about the difference of costs or duration.

Beppu-Yawatahama is recommended.

The Saiki-Sukumo ferry went out of service earlier this year due to financial problems, and I think that there is unfortunately a certain probability that it won't restart service ever again.

I know nothing about the service stop of the ferry Sukumo-Saiki, but I have crossed the sea between Shikoku and Kyusyu three times: Yawatahama to Beppu, Beppu to Yawatahama and Sukumo to Saiki. Of those three, the second Beppu to Yawatahama experience happened to be the best. Starting early in the morning from the Beppu port and crossing the narrow strait of Hōyo, we met soon the direction changing of tides, which was thrilling, and the tumult stopped when the ship approached the tip of the Sadamisaki peninsula, and the rest of running along the long coast line of Sadamisaki until the port of Yawatahama was very calm...As we always travelled by car, we have no experience of train travel in Shikoku. However I can easily imagine a very scenic trip by train in Shikoku.

I'm planning to go from Usuki to Yawatahama in April. This is the first time I have seen any discussion about this ferry service.
I was wondering about the Saiki one not listing its schedule after a certain date....thanks for the information!

Dear all, many thanks for your prompt answers. I very much appreciate it. Well, in that case we will take the Beppu-Yawatahama ferry.